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Lifting a nation Colombia's Urrutia wins country first goldPosted: Wednesday September 20, 2000 12:00 AMUpdated: Thursday November 09, 2000 11:47 AM
SYDNEY, Australia (CNNSI.com) - After all three medalists lifted the same weight, Colombia's Maria Isabel Urrutia won gold in the 75-kilogram class because of her lower body weight. It was the first gold medal in any sport for Colombia. "It's important for our country to finally be on the podium," said the 35-year-old Urrutia. "This will not be the last Olympic medal. You will see more medals from my country." Urrutia, her eyes bulging as she hoisted nearly twice her body weight; silver medalist Ruth Ogbeifo of Nigeria; and bronze medalist Kuo Yi-hang of Taiwan had identical totals of 245 kilograms (540 pounds). Urrutia got the gold because she weighed 73.3 kilograms (161 1-2 pounds) to Ogbeifo's 74.2 kilograms (163 1-2) and Kuo's 74.4 (164). "I always wanted to be the best, but it was quite a struggle," said Urrutia, who had to lose 20 kilograms (44 pounds) to make the weight yet still build up muscle following a knee injury. "Some people didn't think I could win, but many people stood behind me." Colombia and Mexico, countries not previously associated with Olympic weightlifting, have come away from the inaugural women's competition with gold medals. Soraya Jimenez of Mexico won at 58 kilograms (128 pounds). Like Jimenez, Urrutia went to Bulgaria to train with some of the world's best-known weightlifting coaches. Even though she is 35, she has no plans to retire, but said, "I have to decide whether to stay a poor woman or whether to go to work." She also wants to find a boyfriend, saying, "Maybe I will show my gold medal around the (Olympic) Village." Ogbeifo lost the silver medal in the world championships on body weight in November. She also had a knee injury, and her federation made a national appeal to help finance her surgery. "The people of Nigeria assisted me," she said. "The best was given to me by my country, and I thank them for that." With no Chinese lifters entered - they own all three world records at 75 kilograms - the top-to-bottom competition for medals was expected to be tighter than in any other class. And it was. Six of the 11 lifters were within 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of each other following the snatch, which Tatiana Khromova of Kazakstan and Urrutia led with lifts of 110 kilograms (243 pounds). Khromova missed all three lifts in the clean and jerk and did not place. Kuo was at 107.5 (237 pounds) and fourth-place finisher Kim Soon-hee of South Korea, Gyongyi Likerecz of Hungary and Ogbeifo were at 105 (231). Urrutia lifted 132.5 kilograms (292 pounds) on her first attempt in the clean and jerk and 135 (298) on her second, but missed at 137.5 (303). Ogbeifo made up her deficit following the snatch by putting up 140 (309), the most of any lifter in the clean and jerk. But she missed winning the gold when she couldn't raise 142.5 (314). Kuo also had a chance to win, but couldn't make her final lift of 140 (309). "It's a pity I couldn't lift the weight," Kuo said. "But this medal still has quite a bit of significance to me." No country can enter more than four lifters in the seven classes, and this was one of the three classes that China sat out. Sun Tianni of China is the world's top-ranked lifter at the weight. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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